The retreat starts with Dinner on Friday and ends after breakfast on Sunday
Sourced from the depths of Christian contemplative tradition, Centering Prayer has emerged as a life-changing prayer practice for those who embrace it. Centering Prayer is a receptive method of Christian silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer; prayer in which we experience God’s presence within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than consciousness itself. Its purpose is to foster a deeper intimacy with Christ through the silence and stillness of contemplative prayer.
Join us to learn the method or to renew your practice of this ancient form of silent prayer.
Sr. Ruth Ann is a Spiritual Director and Retreat Director. She provides spiritual direction on an ongoing basis as well as spiritual companioning/direction during retreats at Bethany Retreat Center. Sr. Ruth Ann has her degree in Religious Studies from St. Francis University. She is also a graduate of Shalem’s Spiritual Guidance Program.
Elizabeth Graboski is a longtime contemplative prayer practitioner, a Centering Prayer facilitator and commissioned presenter of Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina for Contemplative Outreach. She currently serves with Contemplative Outreach Central Pennsylvania local chapter for the Spiritual Enrichment and Formation for Facilitators of Centering Prayer Groups
5:20 pm – Welcome and Orientation – BRC 1st Floor Dining Room
5:30 pm - Dinner
6:30 pm – Retreat Gathering – House Conference Room (HCR)
Retire in Silence
8:30 am – Breakfast (Silence)
9:00 am – Conference 1 – Prayer as Relationship (HCR)
Break
10:00 am – Conference 2 – The Method of Centering Prayer (HCR)
Break
12:30 pm – Lunch (Silence)
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Bookstore OPEN
1:00 pm – 3:30 pm – Personal Time/Soul Friending
4:00 pm – Conference 3 – Thoughts and the Use of the Sacred Word (HCR)
5:30 pm – Mass at local parish – leave at 5:10pm (optional)
6:30pm – Dinner and clean up
Retire in Silence
7:30 am – Centering Prayer (Prayer Center)
8:30 am – Breakfast with Conversation
9:30 am – Conference 4 – Deepening Our Relationship with God
10:30 am – Closing and Gathering of Graces (HCR)